KCF awards Youth Advisory Council grants to Copper Country non-profits

HANCOCK, Mich. (WLUC) - The Keweenaw Area Community Foundation (KCF)’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) is awarding $24,925.60 in grants to non-profit organizations this week.

“In November, the YAC students met to evaluate grant applications that were submitted,” said KCF Office and Program Manager Sara Fletcher. “They talked as a group to decide whether or not the programs were worthy of funding, if they thought they would do good for the community, and just if they liked the ideas. It’s important for the youth to be involved in these funding decisions.”

This is part of over $90,000 being awarded to 46 organizations from the Kellogg Youth Endowment Fund over the next month.

It is being issued through KCF’s Fall Granting and Donor-Advised Fund programs.

“Local non-profits, schools, and other organizations were eligible to apply to be evaluated by youth for youth-related programs in Houghton and Keweenaw counties,” continued Fletcher.

Four organizations were awarded by the YAC at a ceremony on Wednesday at Finlandia University’s Hirvonen Hall.

This included the Keweenaw Community Alliance for Progressive Education (CAPE).

It received $5,670 to put towards its maker space and its youth outreach program for farming education.

Other awarded organizations included the Copper Country Suzuki Association and Unite Mental Health and Wellness.

“We have the giant check; people think that’s a lot of fun,” added Fletcher. “We joke about taking it to the bank and trying to cash it. We wanted the kids to meet the people they granted it to and for the grantee organizations to meet some of the kids.”

According to Fletcher, the next round of applications will be open in March.